Whiffletree-iron



(No Mqdel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. K. PORTER.

WHIPPLETREE IRON.

N0. 894 209. Patented Dec. 11 1888.

Batch STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

HENRY K. PORTER, OF BOSTON, MASSACI'II SEFS.

WH l FFLETREE-IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,209, dated December 11, 1888.

Application filed February 1'7, 1888. Serial No. 264,323. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY K. PORTER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in lVhiflietree-Irons, which will, in connection with the accompanying drawil'igs, be hereinafter fully described, and specifically defined in the appended claims.

In said drawings, Figure l. is a plan view of the inner side of one of the supporting irons or straps. Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of said supporting-irons. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the outer side of one of said supporting-irons. Fig. 4 .is a front elevation showing the central. portions of the cross-bar and whiftletree and the irons by which the latter is connected with and supported by the cross-bar. Fi 5 is a top plan view of the central portion of the whithetree and its 1')ivoting-iron. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation, the section through the whiffietree being central, as on line Z Z, Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5, while the section through the crossbar is at one side of the center. Fig. 7 shows a modification of the supporting-irons.

My invention relates to the irons by which the whillietree of express-wagons and other on e-horse vehicles is supported from the crossbar, and is pivotally connected with said supporting-irons; and it consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, andpointed out in. the claims.

Referring again to the drawings, A represents the cross-bar, which at its ends is secured to the shafts in front of the forward axle, and B represents the whiltletree, which is pivotall y supported by the cross-bar, through the agency of supporting-irons, in front of said cross-bar. A lower or bottom supporting-iron is shown at C and a like upper iron at I), these irons being secured to the cross-bar by bolts 0, which pass through holes a I), respectively formed in said irons. Said irons differ only in that iron Chas square holes a for the square part of bolts 0, while iron D has round holes Z) to receive the round portion of said bolts, and either of said irons may be arranged on top of the cross-bar, as maybe preferred. At their front ends said irons are preferably formed with a re-cnforce or thickening, as (I, while on their inner faces are formed the short tubes or hollow tapering l bosses g, through which, as well as through the entire supporting-iron, extends the coincident axial holes 6 for the reception of bolt 71. The pivoting-iron E of the whiliictrce is formed with the frontplate, '1, having a central tubular enlargement, with the inwardly-tapering passage 7; to receive bosses g, and also having holes to receive the securin g-bolts m, as shown. Said iron E has also the integral wearing-plates 7, which at their rear ends may be secured to the whifiietrec by screws f, as shown in Fig. 5.

As shown in Fig. (i, the bosses g extend from the faces of irons C I) just far enough to allow iron E and the whifiietree to vibrate with due freedom, when the meeting faces of said bosses are brought into rigid contact by screwing up the nut on bolt 71, said bosses thus forming the pivot for iron E, and irons O D, through said, bosses and bolt 71, being rigidly locked together to prevent motion or consequent wear thereof.

In Fig. 7 the re-enforcc d is shown as formed separate from the supporting-iron and as having tube g formed upon it and extending through a hole in the iron, while a stud, 01, also formed on reeni'orce (7, is'insertcd in a hole in the supporting-iron to hold the reenforce and its boss from rotation from any cause; but such change in construction not only embodies the essential features of my invention, but is an obvious change or modification, deemed by me as inferior in point of eiticiency to the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, i, and (j, where the supportin g-iron, the recnforce, and hollow boss are integrally formed.

I am aware that supporting-irons having a shallow hollow cord formed upon them to enter a corresponding depression in the pivotin g-iron of the whiflietree have heretofore been used and discarded by reason of the objection which I avoidto wit, that the nut on bolt 7L could not be screwed up solid, so as to serve as a locking-nut, and hence all the parts were comparatively loose, and therefore susceptible to vibration, wear, and rattling, thus accelerating their wearing out.

If at any time by long use and wear the whifiletree-iron E should acquire too free play between irons C D, the meeting faces of bosses 9 may be filed down sufficiently to render iron E as close-fitting as is requisite, the taper of bosses g causing them to fit more closely as they are advanced into iron E. In fact the bosses g may be slightly shorter than shown, with one or more disks of thin metal interposed between their meeting faces, so that by removing one or more of said disks the irons O D may be brought closer together when desired; but I deem it preferable, for obvious reasons, to have said bosses abut directly against each other, as shown.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with pivoting-iron E, formed with passage ktherethrough, of supporting-irons C D, having respectively the hollow bosses g g of a length to extend through iron E and abut against each other, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of supportingirons C D, formed with hollow tapering bosses g, and 20 pivoting-iron E, formed with passage 70, corresponding to said bosses, substantially as specified.

3. The pivoting-iron E, formed with front plate, t', tubular portion j, extended across 25 plate 2', and wearing-plates Z, all as an integral casting, substantially as specified.

I 4. The combination of pivoting-iron E, having the inwardly-tapering passage 70, supporting-irons C D, having tapering hollow bosses 0 

